


Serenity

by Pichitinha



Series: Circus Kids [1]
Category: DCU (Comics), Marvel (Comics)
Genre: And Clint Barton is my second favorite Marvel character, And will probably write more stuff, Dick Grasyon is my favorite DC character, Gen, and I love that, and they were both in circuses, so I wrote a drabble about it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-03
Updated: 2015-07-03
Packaged: 2018-04-07 12:36:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 702
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4263510
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pichitinha/pseuds/Pichitinha
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dick's not over the moon with the fact they're going to the circus. It's funny how a stranger can help him out.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Serenity

**Author's Note:**

> This was written for a forum with the prompt "Serenity" (yeah, I was super original with the name, huh). It's very short, but I hope you enjoy.

If there was one thing that Dick thought he’d never do again, it was going to the circus. He’d gone back to Haly’s Circus three times after that eventful night: one to help them out, as Robin; another by accident, he’d been kidnapped; and the last one to say goodbye when he heard Haly’s health hadn’t been doing so good.  
  
Sure, he’d gone back a few times to other circus at night or at abandoned ones. He liked to pretend he was still a kid flying around. But he made sure he never stepped into a  _functioning_  one, the lights, the food, the people, the performers. For some reason, even after many years, it was still too much.  
  
But when his son looks up at him with those bright blue eyes and asks if they  _pretty please_  can do something… well. He’s weak.  
  
So there he is watching as the acrobats fly around just like he and his parents used to. There are no kids and he’s grateful, because if anything were to go wrong… He’s been tense ever since they left home, and even Babs hand finding his from time to time and Johnny’s excitement by his side isn’t enough to light his heart.  
  
“Don’t worry, kid, they know what they’re doing.” The man besides him says and he realizes that he’s the one he’s talking to.  
  
“Oh.” Dick looks over at him startled. That’s when he realizes that his shoulders are high and locked up in tense and the guy next to him probably noticed it. “I know. They’re rather good, actually.”  
  
“Rather good?” The blonde guy raises his eyebrows and lets out a laugh. “Talk about harsh, everyone is in awe.”  
  
“I’ve seen better.”  _I was better_ , he thinks, but doesn’t say.  
  
“Name is Clint Barton.” The guy says and offers his hands for him to shake. “Circus boy?”  
  
“Dick Grayson.” He says before he can think of it and shakes his hand back. “You could say that.”  
  
“Yeah, me too. Was an archer, though, so I always thought that every acrobat was amazing. Very cocky, though.”  
  
Dick smirks at that. “Yeah, we usually are.” He turns back to the center stage. “But pay attention, they’re a little out of sync.”  
  
Clint squints his eyes and looks for a few seconds. Dick starts ticking the time on his knee and Clint follows the performers and the sound. His eyes widen a bit. “Wow. They really are. You must’ve been pretty good up there.”  
  
Dick shrugs. “Yeah. But it was a long time ago.”  
  
“Why did you leave?” Clint asks still looking at the acrobats. When Dick doesn’t reply, he looks at him. “Sorry. Don’t have a good history with the circus myself.”  
  
“Why did you come here today, then?”  
  
“I try to do it every once in a while. Keeps me grounded.” Dick doesn’t know what he means, but it somehow makes sense. “You?”  
  
Dick smiles and points at Johnny, who just then looks at him and exclaims. “Dad! Stop talking and pay attention.”  
  
He raises his arms like he’s surrendering. “Sorry.”  
  
He exchanges a glance with the man by his side and they both smile before turning back to the show. They stay quiet for the rest of the night, but when it’s time to leave they shake hands one more time.  
  
“You need to make peace with the circus, kid. It’s hard – mine was full of bad guys, I found out – but it’s home, right?” Clint says as they are about to part ways.  
  
Dick looks around at all the people having fun and mostly at his wife and kid as the latter chats excitedly about the night. He feels calmer than he had during the whole week anticipating this trip and he his heart is lighter than he ever remembered it being when the word  _circus_  is concerned.  
  
“I think I have.”  
  
They turn and head towards different directions and as Dick scoops up Johnny to put him over his shoulders, his decision is clear as light.  
  
“I’m gonna teach you acrobatics.”  
  
His son squeals in delight over his head and he looks behind one last time.  
  
The circus doesn’t scare him anymore. It feels good.


End file.
